Organiser of the highly popular – and much loved – Grizzly meeting have pulled the plug on plans to stage the next running in March 20201.
The issue is the uncertainly via-a-vis the on-going Coronavirus pandemic and organisers have decided it is right to postpone the event set to be held next March.
However, there are still plans to run the event in 2021 with the more likely month for it to be staged being October with a ballot likely to take place in April 2021 to determine who gets a place.
In a press release, the Grizzly organisers say: ‘We will provide exact dates as soon as we have more certainty that the event can take place.
‘You will all appreciate this has been a difficult decision but with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, government-imposed requirements for social distancing and the current guidelines from Run Britain for mass participation running events we do not believe we can organise the race in a way that would maintain the Grizzly experience for our runners.
‘Furthermore, and more importantly, the safety of our runners, volunteers and the community in and around Seaton is paramount in our decision. We would not want the event to impact on the local emergency services and NHS during the current pandemic.
‘As you are aware the Grizzly is organised by a core group of volunteers working for several months in our spare time to prepare for a multi-terrain race for c2000 runners and all the complexities that come with such a big event. We are then supported by a number of services and a huge number of volunteers on the day.
‘We are passionate about the Grizzly and all that it brings to the runners, to the volunteers and to Seaton and East Devon. We do not want to put on an event that reduces the value of the experience for any of these groups.
‘Of course, we do appreciate this will come as a disappointment to you all but we did not want to start the ballot process without greater certainty that the event would be able to take place next March. We will update you with our plans as soon as we can.’
The press release concludes with: ‘In the meantime, we hope you will continue to enjoy your running wherever you are and within the government restrictions and look forward to next autumn when we hope we can provide the full Grizzly experience.’
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